fortify

for·ti·fy

verb \ˈfȯr-tə-ˌfī\

for·ti·fiedfor·ti·fy·ing

Definition of FORTIFY

transitive verb

: to make strong: as

a : to strengthen and secure (as a town) by forts or batteries

b : to give physical strength, courage, or endurance to <fortified by a hearty meal>

c : to add mental or moral strength to : encourage <fortified by prayer>

d : to add material to for strengthening or enriching <fortified milk>

intransitive verb

: to erect fortifications

— for·ti·fi·er \-ˌfī(-ə)r\ noun

Examples of FORTIFY

1. fortify a city against attack
2. a city fortified by high walls
3. Support for his theories has been fortified by the results of these experiments.
4. He took a deep breath to fortify himself before stepping onto the stage.
5. milk fortified with vitamin D

Origin of FORTIFY

Middle English fortifien, from Anglo-French fortifier, from Late Latin fortificare, from Latin fortis strong

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to FORTIFY

Synonyms

brace, forearm, nerve, poise, psych (up), ready, steel, strengthen

Antonyms

debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, weaken

Related Words

arm; harden, inure, season, toughen; bolster, boost, buoy (up), buttress, enforce, prop (up), reinforce (also reenforce), support, sustain; cheer (up), comfort, embolden, encourage, hearten, inspire; rally, rouse, stir

Near Antonyms

daunt, demoralize, discourage, dishearten, dispirit, psych (out), shake, unnerve; debilitate, enervate, enfeeble, prostrate, sap, soften, tire, undercut, undermine, weaken

Rhymes with FORTIFY

abide by, Adonai, alibi, alkali, amplify, apple-pie, argufy, assegai, azo dye, basify, beautify, butterfly, by-and-by, caddis fly, calcify, certify, Chou En-lai, citify, clarify, classify, coalify, cockneyfy, codify, college try, cottage pie, crucify, cut-and-try, cutie-pie, DIY, damnify, damselfly, dandify, deify, densify, dignify, dobsonfly, do-or-die, dragonfly, dulcify, eagle eye, edify, evil eye, falsify, fancify, frenchify, fructify, gasify, Gemini, gentrify, glorify, goggle-eye, goldeneye, gratify, Haggai, harvest fly, hexerei, high and dry, hip and thigh, Hokusai, hook and eye, horrify, hoverfly, humble pie, Iceni, justify, kiss good-bye, lazy eye, lignify, liquefy, lithify, Lorelei, lullaby, Madurai, magnify, Malachi, Maracay, minify, modify, mollify, Molokai, Mordecai, mortify, multi-ply, multiply, mummify, mystify, nazify, notify, nullify, occupy, old school tie, on standby, on the fly, ossify, overbuy, overfly, overlie, pacify, Paraguay, passerby, peccavi, petrify, PPI, preachify, prettify, private eye, prophesy, purify, putrefy, qualify, quantify, ramify, rarefy, ratify, RBI, rectify, reify, res gestae, robber fly, runner's high, Russify, samurai, sanctify, satisfy, scarify, schwarmerei, semidry, set store by, shepherd's pie, shoofly pie, signify, simplify, Spanish fly, specify, speechify, stratify, stultify, stupefy, sweetie pie, Tenebrae, terrify, testify, tie-and-dye, tigereye, Trans Alai, tumble dry, typify, uglify, underlie, unify, Uruguay, Veneti, verify, versify, vilify, vinify, vitrify, vivify, weather eye, Windsor tie, xanthene dye, yuppify, zombify